Breathable Air-Cushion Type Healthcare Softgoods

ABSTRACT

A breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods is capable of providing better wearing comfort and can be inflated without using additional inflation device and includes a support unit and two breathable air cushions. Each of the air cushions is provided with two first cushion blocks, a second cushion block and a third cushion block. Between the two first cushion blocks is defined a receiving groove, between the two first cushion blocks and the second cushion block, and between the second and third cushion blocks is defined a separating groove, respectively. On a surface of each of the first, second and third cushion blocks is formed at least one permeable slot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods and its air cushions, and more particularly to a breathable shinguard for protecting wearer's shin.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Sports protective equipments are used to protect wearers from injury when the wearers are doing sports activities.

Shinguard is one of the sports protective equipments, made of foam and pressed against the wearers' shin.

In order to enhance the protection effect, some shinguards 10 are made of a foam cushion 11, and then the foam cushion 11 is covered with an air bag 12, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, the air bag 12 is a flat structure and therefore is unable to better fit the configuration of the user's shank. Besides, the part of the shank pressed against by the air bag 12 is not breathable, causing wearing discomfort.

On the other hand, inflation of the shinguards 10 requires the use of an additional inflation device, which makes it inconvenient to use.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods which overcomes the non-breathability and inconvenience of use of the conventional healthcare softgoods.

To achieve the above objective, a breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods comprises a support unit and two breathable air cushions.

The support unit includes a footrest and two support members connected to both ends of the footrest, on the support members are provided a plurality of positioning tapes;

The two breathable air cushions are attached to one side of each of the support members, and the breathable air cushions include two first cushion blocks, a second cushion block and a third cushion block, between the two first cushion blocks is defined a receiving groove, between the two first cushion blocks and the second cushion block, and between the second and third cushion blocks is defined a separating groove, respectively, on a surface of each of the first, second and third cushion blocks is formed at least one permeable slot.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a breathable air cushion which provides better wearing comfort and can be inflated without using additional inflation device.

To achieve the above objective, a breathable air cushion in accordance with the present invention is provided with two first cushion blocks, a second cushion block and a third cushion block. Between the two first cushion blocks is defined a receiving groove, between the two first cushion blocks and the second cushion block, and between the second and third cushion blocks is defined a separating groove, respectively. On a surface of each of the first, second and third cushion blocks is formed at least one permeable slot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a conventional shinguard;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the conventional shinguard;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods in accordance the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the upper end of the breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an illustrative view showing the passages inside the inflation unit;

FIG. 8 is an illustrative view showing that the breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods of the present invention are used as protection gears to protect a user's shank;

FIG. 9 is another illustrative view showing that the breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods of the present invention are used as protection gears to protect a user's shank; and

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 3-10, a breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises: a support unit 20 and two breathable air cushions 30.

The support unit 20 includes a footrest 21 and two support members 22 connected to both ends of the footrest 21. Each of the support members 22 is provided with an inflation aperture 221 and a deflation aperture 222. In this embodiment, the footrest 21 is made of soft fabric, and the support members 22 are made of rigid and deformation resistance material. The footrest 21 and the support members 22 are connecting by means of gluing or by loop and hook tape. On the support members 22 are further provided a plurality of positioning tapes 223 which can be attached to one side of the support members 22 or inserted through the support members 22.

At another side of each of the support members 22 of the support unit 20 is provided such a breathable air cushion 30. One end of each of the breathable air cushions 30 connected to the footrest 21 is defined as a lower end, and another end of the each of the breathable air cushions 30 is defined as an upper end. Each of the breathable air cushions 30 includes two first cushion blocks 31, a second cushion block 32 and a third cushion block 33. Between the two first cushion blocks 31 is a receiving groove 34, between the two first cushion blocks 31 and the second cushion block 32, and between the second and third cushion blocks 32, 33 is defined a separating groove 37. The two first cushion blocks 31 slant toward the receiving groove 34 to make the upper end of the breathable air cushions 30 V-shaped.

The second cushion block 32 includes a first concave portion 321, and on the surface of each of the first, second and third cushion blocks 31, 32, 33 are formed plural permeable slots 35. In the receiving groove 34 is disposed an inflation unit 36 which is used to inflate the first, second and third cushion blocks 31, 32, 33. The inflation unit 36 includes an operation portion 361, inflation valve 362, a medium portion 363 and air supplying portion 364 which are in communication with one another. The operation portion 361 includes an air storage space and an arc-shaped pressing surface 365 which protrudes out of the inflation aperture 221 of the support members 22. The operation portion 361 is in communication with the inflation valve 362 via two air supplying passages 366. The inflation valve 362 includes an inflation opening 367, and between the inflation opening 367 and the two air supplying passages 366 is provided a first check valve 40, so that air can be inflated into the air storage space via the inflation valve 362 but cannot be discharged from the inflation valve 362.

Between the medium portion 363 and the air supplying portion 364 is disposed a second check valve 50, so that air can be inflated into the air supplying portion 364 via the medium portion 363 and cannot flow to the medium portion 363 via the air supplying portion 364.

The air supplying portion 364 is in communication with one of the first cushion blocks 31 via an inflation passage 368.

The first cushion block 31 in communication with the inflation passage 368 is in communication with the second cushion block 32 via a first bypass passage 311, and the second cushion block 32 is in communication with another one of the first cushion blocks 31 via a second bypass passage 322 and then in communication with the third cushion block 33 via a third bypass passage 323. The third cushion block 33 includes a second concave portion 331.

The first cushion block 31 that is in communication with the second cushion block 32 via the second bypass passage 322 is further in communication with a deflation unit 60 via a deflation passage 312.

The deflation unit 60 is formed in the receiving groove 34 and includes a deflation opening 61, a third check valve 62 adjacent to the deflation opening 61 to prevent air from leaking from the deflation opening 61, and a deflation controller 63 which is disposed at the deflation opening 61 and to be pressed by a user to open the third check valve 62, allowing air to be discharged from the deflation opening 61. The deflation controller 63 extends out of the deflation aperture 222 of each of the support members 22.

The protection gears of the present invention can be used in such a manner that the user's foot steps on the footrest 21 of the support unit 20, and the two support members 22 together with the two breathable air cushions 30 are pressed against the user's shank from both sides, then the positioning tapes 223 wrap around the support members 22 to fix the breathable air cushions 30 to the user's shank. FIGS. 3-9 show an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the breathable air cushions 30 are fixed to the support members 22 and then clamped against the user's shank. Or, the breathable air cushions 30 of the present invention can also be directly clamped against the user's shank by the positioning tapes 223 without the support member 22, as shown in FIG. 10.

The air cushion of the present invention can be inflated or deflated without using inflation device. To inflate the air cushion, the user can press the pressing surface 365 of the inflation unit 36 that protrudes out of the inflation aperture 221 of the support members 22, so that the air stored in the air storage space of the operation portion 361 of the inflation unit 36 can be inflated into the medium portion 363 via the air supply passages 366 and then flows through the second check valve 50 and into the air supplying portion 364, and then flows to the first air cushion block 31 that is in communication with the inflation passage 368 via the inflation passage 368.

After that, the air will flow to the second air cushion block 32, the third air cushion block 33 and another first air cushion block 31 in communication with the deflation unit 60 via the first, second and third bypass passages 311, 322, 323. In this way, inflation process is being carried out, and meanwhile, the air storage space of the inflation unit 36 is deflated to create negative pressure therein.

When the user stops pressing the pressing surface 365, the negative pressure will force air into the air storage space of the operation portion 361 via the inflation opening 367 of the inflation valve 362, so that the breathable air cushions 30 can be inflated by repeatedly pressing the operation portion 361.

To deflate the breathable air cushions 30 or adjust the pressure therein, the user can press the deflation controller 63 which extends out of the deflation aperture 222 to open the third check valve 62, letting the air flow out of the breathable air cushions 30 via the deflation opening 61 of the deflation unit 60, so that the air pressure of the breathable air cushions 30 is adjusted or deflated.

The air cushion of the present invention is easy to use since it can be inflated or deflated without using extra deflation and inflation device. Furthermore, the inflation unit 36 and the deflation unit 60 are disposed in the receiving groove 34, and the two first cushion blocks 31 slant toward the receiving groove 34, therefore, the inflation unit 36 and the deflation unit 60 are located at the lowest position between the two first cushion blocks 31 and will not come into contact with the user's shank and make the user feel uncomfortable even when the breathable air cushions 30 are pressed against the user's shank.

On the other hand, each of the breathable air cushions 30 is divided into the first, second and third cushion blocks 31, 32, 33 instead of being a flat and smooth surface, so that air is allowed to flow through between the cushion blocks. Besides, on the surface of each of the first, second and third cushion blocks 31, 32, 33 are formed plural permeable slots 35 which will improve breathability when the breathable air cushions 30 are pressed against the user's shank.

In general, with the inflation unit 36 and the deflation unit 60 provided on the breathable air cushions 30, the inflation and deflation of the present invention can be performed without additional inflation/deflation device, making it convenient to use. The arrangement of the inflation unit 36, the deflation unit 60, the receiving groove 34 and the permeable slots 35 improves the breathability and wearing comfort of the protection gears with the breathable air cushions 30 of the present invention.

While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods comprising: a support unit with a footrest and two support members connected to both ends of the footrest, on the support members being provided a plurality of positioning tapes; two breathable air cushions attached to one side of each of the support members, and the breathable air cushions including two first cushion blocks, a second cushion block and a third cushion block, between the two first cushion blocks being defined a receiving groove, between the two first cushion blocks and the second cushion block, and between the second and third cushion blocks being defined a separating groove, respectively, on a surface of each of the first, second and third cushion blocks being formed at least one permeable slot.
 2. The breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods as claimed in claim 1, wherein an inflation unit is disposed in the receiving groove to inflate the first, second and third cushion blocks in such a manner that the inflation unit is in communication with one of the first cushion blocks via an inflation passage, the one of the first cushion blocks in communication with the inflation passage is in communication with the second cushion block via a first bypass passage, and the second cushion block is in communication with another one of the first cushion blocks via a second bypass passage and is further in communication with the third cushion block via a third bypass passage.
 3. The breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inflation unit includes an operation portion, inflation valve, a medium portion and air supplying portion which are in communication with one another, the operation portion includes an air storage space and is in communication with the inflation valve via two air supplying passages, the inflation valve includes an inflation opening, and between the inflation opening and the two air supplying passages is provided a first check valve, so that air is only allowed to be inflated into the air storage space via the inflation valve, between the medium portion and the air supplying portion is disposed a second check valve, so that air is only allowed to be inflated into the air supplying portion via the medium portion, and the air supplying portion is in communication with the one of the first cushion blocks via the inflation passage.
 4. The breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the support members is provided with an inflation aperture, the operation portion includes an arc-shaped pressing surface which protrudes out of the inflation aperture of the support members.
 5. The breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first cushion block that is in communication with the second cushion block via the second bypass passage is further in communication with a deflation unit via a deflation passage, the deflation unit is formed in the receiving groove and includes a deflation opening, a third check valve adjacent to the deflation opening to prevent air from leaking from the deflation opening, and a deflation controller which is disposed at the deflation opening and to be pressed by a user to open the third check valve, allowing air to be discharged from the deflation opening, each of the support members is provided with a deflation aperture, and the deflation controller extends out of the deflation aperture.
 6. The breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods as claimed in claim 1, wherein one end of each of the breathable air cushions connected to the footrest is defined as a lower end, another end of the each of the breathable air cushions is defined as an upper end, and the two first cushion blocks slant toward the receiving groove to make an upper end of the breathable air cushions V-shaped.
 7. The breathable air-cushion type healthcare softgoods as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second cushion block includes a first concave portion, and the third cushion block includes a second concave portion.
 8. A breathable air cushion comprising: two first cushion blocks, a second cushion block and a third cushion block, between the two first cushion blocks being defined a receiving groove, between the two first cushion blocks and the second cushion block, and between the second and third cushion blocks being defined a separating groove, respectively, on a surface of each of the first, second and third cushion blocks being formed at least one permeable slot.
 9. The breathable air cushion as claimed in claim 8, wherein an inflation unit is disposed in the receiving groove to inflate the first, second and third cushion blocks in such a manner that the inflation unit is in communication with one of the first cushion blocks via an inflation passage, the one of the first cushion blocks in communication with the inflation passage is in communication with the second cushion block via a first bypass passage, and the second cushion block is in communication with another one of the first cushion blocks via a second bypass passage and is further in communication with the third cushion block via a third bypass passage.
 10. The breathable air cushion as claimed in claim 9, wherein the inflation unit includes an operation portion, inflation valve, a medium portion and air supplying portion which are in communication with one another, the operation portion includes an air storage space and is in communication with the inflation valve via two air supplying passages, the inflation valve includes an inflation opening, and between the inflation opening and the two air supplying passages is provided a first check valve, so that air is only allowed to be inflated into the air storage space via the inflation valve, between the medium portion and the air supplying portion is disposed a second check valve, so that air is only allowed to be inflated into the air supplying portion via the medium portion, and the air supplying portion is in communication with the one of the first cushion blocks via the inflation passage.
 11. The breathable air cushion as claimed in claim 10, wherein the operation portion includes an arc-shaped pressing surface.
 12. The breathable air cushion as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first cushion block that is in communication with the second cushion block via the second bypass passage is further in communication with a deflation unit via a deflation passage, the deflation unit is formed in the receiving groove and includes a deflation opening, a third check valve adjacent to the deflation opening to prevent air from leaking from the deflation opening, and a deflation controller which is disposed at the deflation opening and to be pressed by a user to open the third check valve, allowing air to be discharged from the deflation opening.
 13. The breathable air cushion as claimed in claim 8, wherein one end of each of the breathable air cushions connected to the footrest is defined as a lower end, another end of the each of the breathable air cushions is defined as an upper end, and the two first cushion blocks slant toward the receiving groove to make an upper end of the breathable air cushions V-shaped.
 14. The breathable air cushion as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second cushion block includes a first concave portion, and the third cushion block includes a second concave portion. 